Tkench-guu support



H. J. McNEAL.

TRENCH GUN SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. me.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

A? I 2 r /0 [ZJI MZVa/Z Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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TRENCH GUN SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. m, 1916.

atented Aug 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awuemioz 117. el 11 M605 STAT HENRY J. MCNEAL, OF WHEATLEY, KENTUCKY.

TRENCH-GUN SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 19.11%.

Application filed April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,180.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. MCNEAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVheatley, in the county of Owen and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trench-Gun Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to supports for guns, whereby the gun may be mounted in position for operation and ad justment in a trench so as to adapt it to be raised for use and lowered for loading or other purposes, without the gunner being exposed to the enemys fire.

The object of the invention is to provide a support for a rifle or like small arm by means of which the rifle may be supported for adjustment in the manner described and employed in conjunction with a periscopc or like observation device whereby the gunner may use the gun in an efficient manner without exposing himself.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support which, while firmly holding the gun, adapts the gun to be raised, lowered, detached, and applied in a ready and convenient manner.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a sectional view through a trench showing the application of the invention, the gun appearing in projected position for use. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the gun retracted for loading or other purposes. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device with parts appearing as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. t is a rear elevation of the same. Fig 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the pivoted shackle for connecting the stock of the gun with the swinging links. Figs. 7 and 8 are views showing a modified form of the invention.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a gun support comprising an anchoring memberl, which may be of the general form, as shown, of an ordinary gun stock. This anchoring member 1 is provided at its forward end with a spur 2 which is designed to be embedded in the earth of the wall of the trench 3 which faces in the direction of the enemy, and which of itself may be of sufiicient supporting capacity to sustain the weight of the desired device in use. In general practice, however, I prefer to provide the butt of the anchor stock 1 with a plate 4 to which is attached a rear supporting device preferably consisting of a head 5 and a desired number of pivoted legs 6, which may be folded parallel with the anchor stock or swung downwardly at right angles thereto to rest upon the floor of the trench, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When this is mounted the anchor stock 1 will be firmly held in position, but upon withdrawing the spur 2 and folding the legs 6 the support may be packed in close compass for convenience, in storage and transportation.

Rising from the plate 4 is an upright 7 carrying at its upper end a socket member 8, and suitably attached to said upright and socket member is an observation device, such as a periscope 9, which may be of any of the ordinary constructions in general use. This upright 7 and socket member 8 are stayed and reinforced from the forward portion of the anchor member 1 by bracing rods or arms 10 carrying a stop member 11. A swinging carrier, composed of links 12, i mounted to swing between said braces 10 and downwardly and rearwardly between the sides of the uprights 7, and these links are pivoted at one end to the neck portion of the anchor stock 1, as shown at 13, and carry at their opposite or free ends a jointed or pivoted shackle 14, said shackle being composed of sections 15 to adapt it to be opened and closed about the neck portion of the stock of the rifle or other small arm 16, said sections being detachably connected by a thumb screw 17, whereby they may be easily, quickly and conveniently connected and disconnected for closing and opening movements.

In the use of the device, the gun 16 to be supported is fastened as described to the shackle 13 of the swinging links or carrier 12, whereby the gun is adapted to be swung upwardly and forwardly to a normally horizontal and projected position for use, as shown in Fig. 1, or swung downwardly and rearwardly until it is withdrawn at an angle to the horizontal wholly or practically within the trench, so that it may be conveniently loaded, cleaned, repaired or detached, asoccasion may require. lVhen the gun is ele vated for use the butt of the stock thereof is fitted in the socket 8 and the weight of the gun maintains it in position, the forward motion of the gun being limited by contact of the links 12 with the stop 11. The gunner may thereupon sight through the periscope 9, and operate the trigger of the gun in any preferred manner to discharge the same, the gunner being at all times entirely concealed within the trench and protected from the fire of the enemy. When it is desired to withdraw the gun into the trench for loading or other purposes, the butt of the gun is grasped and pulled or tilted downward to withdraw it from engagement with the socket, in which motion the gun tilts or swings upon the shackle as an axis, and then the gun may be drawn downwardly and rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which operation it tilts downwardly and rearwardly with the links 12. In this withdrawn or retracted position of the gun it will be to a large extent protected without detaching it from the support and may therefore be easily and conveniently loaded by the gunner. The mode of detaching the gun and folding the sup port for transportation will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

In practice, the stock 1 and spur 2 may be united by a hinge or pivot 2, so as to allow the gun support and gun to swing laterally in either direction on the pivot 2 as an axis of motion, without disturbing the relative positions of the other parts.

In some cases, as before intimated, the supporting leg 6 may be dispensed with, and such a modification is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this modification, also, the stop 11 is dispensed with and reliance placed entirely upon the support of the gun in such a position that its barrel portion slightly overbalances its stock portion, which therefore is held by gravity tightly fitted within the socket 8.

In both forms of the invention, the socket 8 preferably consists of a back plate having a flange extending entirely around the same except at the bottom and forming a shallow elliptical receptacle, as will be readily understood. If desired the stop 11 may be adjustable, in which event it is fitted to slide upon the braces 10 and provided with one or more set screws 11 to secure it in position, as will be readily understood.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five I claim 1. A support for guns comprising an anchor member having a projection adapted to be embedded in the vertical wall of a trench, a swinging support for a gun mounted on said anchor member, and means adapted when the gun is held elevated by said support for engagement with the gun to prevent upward movement thereof.

2. A device of the character described comprising an anchor member having an earth engaging spur at one end thereof, a swinging carrier mounted on said anchor member and having means for engagement with a gun, and an upright provided with a socket to receive the butt of the gun when in elevated position.

3. A device of the character described comprising an anchor member having an embedding spur projecting from one end thereof, a swinging carrier pivoted to said anchor member, a shackle on said carrier to engage the stock of a gun, and an upright on the carrier provided with a holder to receive the butt of the gun.

4. A device of the character described comprising an anchor member having an embedding projection at one end thereof, an upright provided with a gun butt receiving socket at the opposite end of said anchor member, a brace extending between the anchor member and socket, a swinging support carried by the anchor member and having a connecting member to engage the stock of a gun, and a stop upon the brace for limiting the forward swinging movement of said carrier.

5. A device of the character described comprising an anchor member having an embedding projection at one end thereof, a depending support at the opposite end of said anchor member, an upright rising from the latter-named end of the anchor member and carrying a butt receiving socket at its upper end, a bracing element connecting said upright with the anchor member, and a swinging support carried by the anchor member and provided with a pivoted shackle to engage'the stock of a gun.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of a witness.

HENRY J. MoNEAL.

Witness:

Jon. lVnrrEnEAn.

cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G. 

